England’s Thrilling Victory Over Slovakia in Euro 2024
England overcame Slovakia 2-1 in extra time to book their spot in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals thanks to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane’s goals.
Gareth Southgate’s team tied the score in injury time thanks to a goal, and in extra time, they found the winner. England’s match against Slovakia at Gelsenkirchen on Sunday for Euro 2024 saw them play without a shot on goal for 95 (90+5) minutes. They had failed to score a goal for more than four hours.
Jude Bellingham then produced a magnificent overhead volley from the heart of the 18-yard box with one minute remaining in stoppage time, sending England into extra time and the shame of losing in the Round of 16. After Harry Kane scored the game-winning goal in extra time, England won 2-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals.
Ivan Schranz had given Slovakia the lead in the first half, but Bellingham’s equalizer saved the day in a generally inanimate performance. The second goal of the season for the 21-year-old Real Madrid midfielder appeared to give the England team newfound optimism. Kane won the game in less than a minute of extra time.
To some extent, it was fortunate; Sloviakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka parried Cole Palmer’s free kick, but Eberechi Eze was able to capitalize on the rebound outside the box. Ivan Toney headed the ball onto Kane after he effectively miskicked it back into the box. Even if the attacker for Bayern Munich hasn’t been at his best these last two weeks, he was going to score easily with a simple header.
Even still, England’s offensive issues are severe. After a dismal group phase in which they only managed two goals and two draws, there was much pressure on Gareth Southgate to alter their starting eleven, but he refused. The England manager made a replacement midway through the last game, moving Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher to the midfield, but that was the only change from the goalless draw against Slovenia. Kobbie Mainoo, 19, took his place in the midfield.
Despite having less possession in the first half, Slovakia showed more energy in the 25th minute and deservedly took the lead. Kieran Trippier had put his fellow defender in danger with a pass that went short, and Marc Guehi’s foul on forward David Strelec resulted in a free kick for Slovakia in the third minute, which presented the first significant threat. For the first of England’s three yellow cards of the first half, Guehi was given a warning for the offense.
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It was a portent of future events. The 28-year-old left winger Lukas Haraslin found the overlapping left-back David Hancko in the fifth minute. Hancko’s left-footed shot narrowly missed the bottom right corner. Haraslin surged past right-back Kyle Walker and ran toward John Stones. In the first few possessions, Haraslin showed initiative with the ball, preventing Walker from being able to make lung-bursting runs from right-back.
Walker could have benefited Bukayo Saka if he had. Even though the right-sided winger had a good amount of possession early on, he never seemed to be able to find the precise cross that Kane would be able to convert.
Despite their dismal forward play, Schranz’s goal—the first scored by a Slovakian in a knockout game—also dealt a blow to England’s defense.
Denis Vavro appeared to be merely clearing the ball from center-back at first, but after Juraj Kucka beat Guehi to the header and sent it on to Strelec at the edge of the 18-yard box, the long ball became dangerous. When Schranz was running into the area, Strelec waited a moment to find the ideal through ball. With a simple touch, the 30-year-old put the ball past Jordan Pickford in the England goal.
Gareth Southgate, manager of England, on ITV Sport:
“It may seem odd, but I never thought our tournament would conclude tonight. “You sensed there was hope even after Kyle Walker’s long throw. We could make things chaotic, and something might fall. I had not anticipated the finale to be as impressive as it was!
“You’re thinking that we should take Jude off and replace his legs since he’s walking around and we have fifteen minutes left. “Yet you are aware of the kind of influence he may have on a game, which is why you support him during those instances. “When it matters most, the best players have an impact in the major games. He has that kind of mentality.”
Harry Kane, the captain of England, on ITV Sport:
“That’s what the boys want and how they approach everything. “For a brief moment, it appeared difficult there, but you persevere. We put in a long throw a few days ago, and we work on so many minutiae during the week.
“We advised being ready for everything and in case we needed it, and Jude, well, Jude does Jude. What a ridiculous objective. It has sustained our competition. “Absolute support is all I have to say. I’m sure that would have delighted the supporters at home. What a victory.
Regarding Bellingham’s goal: “I think it’s one of the best in our nation’s history. “He is quite the player. Although there has been a lot of chatter about him in the previous few days due to his tireless labor for the club, he has proven his abilities. “In the big moments, he’s stepped up and that’s what we need.”
